But two words slipped. “Then, don’t.”
With a low, aching groan, he kissed her again. Slower this time. Deeper. She melted against him, clinging as though she, too, was losing herself in this undeniable thing between them.
If she had the power to make him feel this whole, this alive, then he would do whatever it took to protect it. To protect her.
Even if it meant facing his deepest fears.
Even if it meant standing against the world itself.
He stiffened when the air crackled with tension, thick with the tang of bloodlust.A sharp whistle sliced through the air, and the moment shattered.
His body moved before his mind could catch up. He tore himself from Reiya, spinning to shield her just as an arrow struck. Pain erupted in his chest, a brutal force knocking him off-balance. The impact sent him staggering, the world tilting as a sharp, searing heat bloomed beneath his skin.
Reiya’s scream cut through the haze—distant yet piercing enough to anchor him. He gasped, forcing himself upright, but the fire burning through his veins told him everything he needed to know.
Poison.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his scimitar as his vision blurred at the edges. Each breath came shallow, the venom sinking its claws into him, but he kept his focus locked on her. She was gripping his arm, holding him together even as his body threatened to collapse.
A slow, mocking clap echoed through the night.
Jodhar emerged from the shadows, flanked by a dozen men, their weapons glinting coldly beneath the moonlight.
“I knew you’d take the hit for her,” Jodhar sneered, his smirk curling with satisfaction. “You’re so predictable, Sunborn mutt. Always playing the noble hero.”
Kaelen forced himself straighter, biting back a grimace as fire licked through his blood. His lungs could not take enough air. He swayed, but he gritted his teeth.
“And you’ll always be a coward,” he spat. “Leaving a sandshrike in the wagon instead of facing me yourself. You don’t fight—youslither.”
Jodhar’s laugh grated against his ears. “Coward? I call it strategy. Why waste my strength when one arrow is all it takes to bring you to your knees?” His gaze slid to Reiya, dark and possessive. “And once you’re gone, who’s going to stop me from taking her?”
Kaelen lunged, fury burning hotter than the venom. His fingers closed around his scimitar, but his legs buckled before he could strike. Reiya caught him, arm locking around his shoulders, her strength holding him upright.
“You’ll never touch her,” he growled. “I’ll die before I let you lay a hand on her.”
“Oh, I know,” Jodhar purred, smirk widening. “That’s why I aimed at you first. And now?” He spread his arms, as if presenting his inevitable victory. “Here we are.”
Reiya’s voice cut through the venom’s grip, sharp as a blade. “What does that prove, Jodhar? That you’re too afraid to face him in a real fight? That the only way you win is by cheating?”
Jodhar’s grin sharpened. “It proves I win. That’s all that matters.”
Then the mercenary’s eyes slid to him, gleaming with malice. “I’ll gut you to the spine, Sunborn—and make sure that little Omega bitch watches you bleed.”
His fists clenched, jaw tight. The insult landed, as Jodhar meant it to—but he held his ground. The bastard wanted fury. He wouldn’t get it.Not yet.
The agony threatened to crush him, but he forced a chuckle, his lips curling despite the pain.
“Oh, Jodhar,” he rasped, shaking his head. “You’re going to have totry harder than this.” He lifted his chin. “Even with poison in my blood, I’m still not convinced you’ve got the skill—or the brain—to finish me off.”
Jodhar leaned in, breath thick with stale ale and arrogance. “Let’s see if you can still speak when my men kill everyone—except for this pretty little bitch you like. I knew she was the one everyone’s after.”
Kaelen forced a smirk, though his grip on his sword was slipping. “Desperate for the prize money, are you, maggot?”
The brute barked out a laugh. “That bounty’s for fools. I know someone willing to pay a hell of a lot more.”
Kaelen’s knuckles turned white around his hilt, but his strength was fading fast. Castiel. That bastard was behind this all along. Had they been working together from the start?
His body rebelled against him, limbs leaden, breath shallow. The venom coiled through his veins, slowly taking over. The taste of his own blood was bitter in his mouth; he nearly gagged. He needed to move, cut Jodhar down where he stood, but each second was a battle against the dark tide pulling him under.